Friday, April 6, 2012

Meeting on Monday, April 9th at KaffeeKlatsch

We will hold our monthly Douglas Park Cooperative meeting on Monday, April 9th from 7pm to 8pm. It will be at KaffeeKlatsch. The guest speaker will be Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. She is the Chair of the Parks and Neighborhood Committee. We have invited her to speak with us about Parks space and activities.

The meeting format will be similar to previous. Sally will speak on the subject, followed by written questions submitted to the moderators.

Below is a statement of our goal, our strategies, and a list of questions for Sally.




Our Goal:
To increase the quantity and quality of indoor and outdoor recreational space & recreational activities for all members of the community in Lake City.
Strategies:
Transfer the Old Fire Station 39 property to Department of Parks and Rec for Civic / Recreational activities - Senior / Teen Activities Center, indoor / outdoor structure for Farmers Market / outdoor theater.
Develop 10,000 sf Skate Park at Virgil Flaim Park.
Advocate for funding for new Community Center with assets similar to Northgate, Bitter Lake, and Meadowbrook Community Centers - ( indoor sports courts, lounges, day care facilities, gym, meeting rooms. ) 
Create a Lake City Community Center Advisory Council, hold well publicized public meetings, and develop partnerships with ARC, Meadowbrook CC, BikeWorks, Boys and Girls Club, local educational programs ( e.g. - North Seattle Community College, Photography Center NW,  Center for Wooden Boats, Pratt Fine Arts ),  and others.
Actively pursue positive, active programming with partners, get activities on DPR programs catalog, and make full use of all DPR space in Lake City. 
Questions for Sally Bagshaw
Operations
Is the Lake City Community Center a Community Center the same way that others are?
There appears to be no DPR paid staff at this location. The programming there is not made public through Seattle Parks and Recreation NorthEast schedule for classes and programs. The space is not available for drop in recreational usage like BL, NG, and MB. 
Is there an Advisory Council for the Lake City Community Center? If not, how do we go about setting one up?
How does the ARC / DPR relationship work? 
Funding
Is there another levy in the works for 2014 after the current one expires?
How do we go about getting a new community center on the levy?
What can we use the Opportunity Fund for? What is the process?
What can we use the Neighborhood Matching Fund for? Process? 
Acquisition
How do we set up partnerships with private land owners ( Pierres )?  Any precedents?
How does the property transfer process work? 
We are particularly interested in the Old 39 property and how the process of transferring it to DPR  would work. Another property would be the parcels at the NE corner of Olympic Hills Elementary to DPR for a P Patch.
How was the DPR property at 12510 33rd Ave acquired in 2010? What are DPRs plans for it? What organization initiated it? 
Development / Improvements
If the old 39 is transferred to DPR, can the $950,000 that was going to be used to make needed improvements to the building still be used for that purpose? 
What improvements are going to be made to the Cedar Park playfield with the $500k that was earmarked in the Parks and Greenspace Levy?
Maintenance
What can we do as a community to help with ongoing maintenance of Parks assets?

2 comments:

  1. GREAT ideas and questions! I would love to come to this meeting! But it's my husband's birthday and his parents from Michigan will be in town to visit. Thank you for moving this issue forward.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dave,
    thank you for putting together a thorough scope of questions and comments that are at the heart of many of us who are seeking to improve and advocate for our Lake City neighborhood. And thank you for doing so much to keep the ball rolling with gathering of data, organizing meetings and much much more..takes a village but also some fire in the belly leadership to move forward.
    Question...Can you post here on DPC blog spot the history of the skatepark in Virgil Flaim idea and where we are right now in regards to funding, support from the city, grants, support from the neighborhood? I know very little about this idea.

    Unfortunately, I am unable to attend this eve.
    But am interested in keeping the heat on the city about our great need for community amenities as you talked about above...the need for a civic center that reflects the increase of populations.. a population with great variance and diversity in age, race, ethnicity, physical capabilities, mental health, education, economic status etc...and that if we are going to continue to be a neighborhood which attracts and provides services to those in most need...which I believe we should do.. that we are supported accordingly with our need for community amenities, and a thriving civic core for ALL. And that if the ball is rolling in the direction of selling station 39 property and all our shouts of crying foul on this action fall on deaf ears then how about $ proportionate support from city for major upgrade for community center AND significant $ support for amenities to be included in redevelopment of 'Pierre Square' or Pierre Plaza'....

    ReplyDelete

This area is for your comments, elaboration, context and additional information. Speak your piece but please keep the discussion with your neighbors civil and on topic.